Friday, September 29, 2006

...and you wanna beat the rest oooo ooooo....


Tomorrow v Bacup, Fc United are attempting to equal the NWCL record of 12 straight league wins, currently held by Cammel Laird (or is it Skem I always get them two mixed up...anyway)
Can they do it? Well they should but you know I have visons of 1985 all over again. In that season MUFC won the 1st 10 games of the season (as was documented in last weeks Guardian, but contrary to what it said, the games were filmed, just not televised- The Mirror brought them out on vid, I think I have a *ahem* copy of it somewhere)
Now at the start of that season, Utd beat all before them starting with a 4-0 V Villa at OT before seeing off the likes of Ipswich(1-0), Southampton(1-0), the arse (2-1) and the mighty ciddy at Maine Road (3-0 and where there any blues there that day). Sorry for the score flashes, I am a bit of an 85 season anorak for some reason.
Anyway, Kenilworth Rd Luton held the 11th game, surely it would be the 11th and equal the Spurs record of winning streaks at the start of the season?
Erm...well.....no.
Score was 1-1, the winning run ended. Utd remained unbeaten till November, when Sheff Weds and the head of Lee Chapman ended the unbeaten run.
The season fell apart, Robbo was sent off in the cup at Roker Park, Hughes was sold to Barca from under all of our noses, and Utd finished 4th.
Season after started distasterously and Big Ron was given the heave-ho.
Lets keep our fingers crossed history doesn't repeat. It shouldn't, but the similarities are there.
10 games compared to 11, but now the record equalling game is against a team we should beat.
So come on everyone, lets cheer the lads to victory, I couldn't live with 1985 all over again.

Tuesday, September 19, 2006

The car with square wheels


Now as you may well know, I used to be a ref, I did local jnr leagues round Leigh and Bolton. I mostly enjoyed it, picked up a couple of medals for officiating in cup finals (1 more than Alan Shearer) and though not perfect, I think I was decent.
As a result of this, I don't like to have a go at refs, but I think after watching a refereeing performance last night at Curzon Ashton that goes down as probably the worst I have seen in 24 years of watching football, I have to have a rant.
This pie munching clown from Wigan, wandered (I think he might have broke into a trot at one point!!) round the pitch, blowing his whistle as if he was at the Last night of the Proms, contributing to Land of Hope and Glory. Every little touch and contact brought a toot on his whistle and a stoppage of play.
I am sure if you looked at the stats, it would seem like the game was just one long foul, but it wasn't. It was a good old tough non league game with 2 committed and good teams going at it and getting stuck in.
Now I am not having a go at Young Wills red card, he can have no complaints about that, but there can be complaints at the way that he seemed to let the Curzon players , esp in the 2nd half, commit GBH and get away with it. Whilst as I say Will can't complain, the ref created that situation by his bewildering decisions and in the 2nd half, in my eyes, home team bias.
Not to mention the giving of a goal kick when the defence clearly put the ball out (and it wasn't just on one occasion,) the constant late flagging of offsides that weren't even off side, and a bit of basketball skill on the Curzon goal that Dennis Rodman would be proud of.
Is it any wonder that the 1st player over to the ref at the end of the game was the Curzon no 8, considering the ref spent the night looking after him and protecting him from the nasty roughty tufty men from Gigg Lane.
Having said all this, taking it into account along with 2 good committed teams, the weather conditions, the atomsphere in the crowd, it was a proper NWCL game and for that we should be happy with the 3 points.

Wednesday, September 13, 2006

Pie update


Its been a few weeks since my last update, apols and all that, been busy with erm well getting on with my sorry excuse for a life.
Now I feel its time for a pie update. As you know, pies are an integral part of life following FC and also on this blog.
To be honest on the pie front at FC games it has been a poor show. I didn't manage to get one at St Helen's as the queue was always far too long, Hyde I partook in a BBQ burger as I felt it would be rude not to, and as they didn't sell pies in clubhouse at Chorley (and that is where I spent most of the day, apart from during the game) I didn't sample them there neither. Though last year, they were good, and so there is a sense of disappointment on that score.
At Alty, despite saying I wasn't spending a penny in the ground, I decided that being hungry was far more important than any principles and so bought a burger yet again. I worked on the adage that as it smelt good, it must taste good.
It didn't.
The best pies so far this season, have been at non FC games. Step forward both Atherton clubs, Colls and LR.
Both have produced top quality pies.
The Meat and potato at Colls, full of peppery potatoie goodness, the sign of a good pie. At LR, for £1.20 you can get a meat pie full of lovely gravy and peas. Beats the lukewarm Gigg Lane rip offs any day.
I have my fingers crossed that the next few home games will bring some quality pieage, I have high hopes for Brodsworth (any spares?) though if they try and serve me a pie in one of those large Yorkshire puddings, they will know about it!!